Billet grapple



ct. 17, l967 D, J. MORO 3,347,588

BILLET GRAPPLE Filed May 51, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR DOMINIK J'. MORO gaa-25B; faQ/@LM ATTORNEYS D. J. MORO VBILLET GRAPPLE Get. 17, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 3l, 1966 INVENTOR DOMINIK I MORO oct. 17, 1967 D. J. MORO 3,347,588

BILLET GRAPPLE Filed May 3l, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 3

'INVENTOR DOMINIK J. MORO ATTORNEYS nited States atent flice 3,347,588 Patented Oct. 17, 1967 3,347,588 BILLET GRAPPLE Dominik J. Moro, York, Pa., assignor to America Cham & Cable Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 31, 1966, Ser. No. 553,876 9 Claims. (Cl. 294-88) The present invention relates to a billet grapple and more particularly to a grapple for engaging and holding an elongated billet after it has been cast in a vertical orientation and severed into a free length.

In the conventional casting operation where the cast billet exists in a continuous fashion from the casting machine along a path extending in a vertically downward direction, it is necessary to transp-ort the billet away from the machine and cut it into predetermined lengths for further processing. Presently, these operations are performed by apparatus which guides the continuous billet along a curved path to change its Vertical path of movement to one which is along the horizontal and away from the area immediately below the machine. Once the leading length of the billet is disposed in a horizontal plane, it is severed into predetermined lengths and may then be transported to other machinery for further processing.

In bending the continuous billet from a vertical orientation into a horizontal one, care must be taken to prevent permanent deformation thereof. The billet as it exits from the casting machine may, for example, range in crosssectional dimension from four to six inches and in some cases, it may be desirable to cut the .'billet into lengths of, for example, thirty or more feet weighing several tons each. Due to these sizes and the physical properties of the continuous billet, bending to obtain the horizontal orientation is effected while the billet is still hot and therefore responsive to temporary flexing. This bending of the billet, however, will set up uneven stresses and compressive forces across the width of the billet which, although to a large extent only temporary, will tend to change the physical characteristics of the resulting billet. Depending on the final product to be produced from the billets, this could present serious disadvantages, as for example, in the case where the billets are to be used for forming heavy structural beams or other building members where it can be of utmost importance that such members have no unknown or varying physical characteristics.

In addition to the affects that the bending of the continuous billet can have on the final product, such bending requires apparatus which is quite cumbersome and inflexible as to its mode of operation. Due to the fact that the billet must remain in a continuous length until after it has been bent and moved along the horizontal plane a distance sufficient to permit severing of the desired length, both a large vertical and horizontal area must be provided for billet movement, Where, for example, thirty foot billets are being produced, the continuous billet will be bent around a curved path having a radius in the neighborhood of twenty feet and it will be necessary to provide sufficient plant room so that the leading end of this billet can be moved in the horizontal plane away from its vertically oriented portion until at least a length of thirty feet is horizontally disposed. At this point, the leading end of the billet will be some fifty feet from its vertically oriented portion. In addition to area requirements, the structure for effecting this guiding of the continuous billet, since in all likelihood, it will be fixed with respect to the casting machine, permits only a single mode of removal of the billet from such machine.

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a relatively uncumbersome and compact device is provided for effecting both a holding of a free length of billet and its removal from the area of the casting machine. In addition, such device is readily more versatile in operation than the prior construction described above and permits removal of the severed billet from the area of the casting machine in any of a number of different ways and to any of a number of locations, as desired.

Generally, the present invention comprises a billet grapple mechanism which is adapted to be positioned adjacent to and below the exit of the casting machine for engaging with and holding the billet after a predetermined length has been cast. No bending of the billet to the horizontal is required. Instead, the continuous billet is grabbed while in the vertical position, severed in this position and held suspended by the grapple through a clamping action of movable gripping members. The billet may then be easily removed from the area of the casting machine while in the vertical position with the unclamping of the grapple from the billet being effected by simple turning of the grapple and billet to a horizontal position.

In construction, the grapple of the present invention generally comprises a support member and opposed gripping members carried thereby for relative movement toward each other to engage the billet on opposite sides and hold it in a suspended vertical position. In the preferred construction, the support member is provided with a billet backup plate having two gripping surfaces facing at right angles with respect to each other for engaging the billet at two locations spaced laterally of each other. Cooperating with these gripping surfaces are a pair of gripping members each of which is secured to an arm member pivotally connected to the support. The arms are each mounted for rotation about an axis extending down- Wardly away from the gripping surfaces of the backup plate whereby rotation in this direction will cause the gripping members to move inwardly toward the opposed gripping surfaces and thus into engagement with the billet. The axes of rotation of the arms of the billet grapple are so oriented with respect to the horizontal whereby upon movement of the associated gripping members into engagement with the billet, the weight of the billet itself will produce a camming effect on these gripping members tending to close them further and thereby causing them to cooperate with the opposed gripping surfaces of the backup member and tightly clamp the billet therebetween.

With the grapple as constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the entire clamping force is produced by the weight of the billet being held. No separate mechanism need be provided for holding the gripping members in clamping position and provision need only be made for initially moving them into contact with the billet.

A fuller understanding of the present invention including the structural features of the presently preferred embodiment and mode of operation thereof will be obtained from a reading of the following detailed description of which: l

Y FIG. l is a top plane View of the billet grapple in open position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the suspended length of billet; and

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the grapple showing the interior components thereof. l

With reference to FIG. l, the billet grapple is shown as including a support member 1 for holding -a backup plate 2 and gripping arms 3, 4. The support member takes the form of a hollow casing having legs 5, 6 extending generally at right angles to each other -to provide an open space 7 therebetween.

As shown in FIG. 2, the grapple is adapted to be disposed at -a position laterally offset from the path of movement of the billet 8 as it exits from the casting machine generally designated at 9, the billet passing the grapple holding a grapple in the open space 7. For mounting the -grapple in this position, trunnions 10, 11 are provided. These trunnions 10, 11 are fixed to the upper surface of the casing 1, and hold bearing shafts 12, 13 which are rotatably disposed therein for movement about an axis A-A. The. construction of the billet grapple is such that its center` of gravity is disposed relative to the axis A-A whereby suspension -thereof from the shafts 12, 13 will cause the backup plate 2 to be oriented at a slight angle tothe vertical as shown in FIG. l. Upon engagement of the billet with the surface of the backup plate, the entire grapple will be caused to rotate about the axis A--A until the backup plate is vertically aligned with respect to the billet and in proper engagement therewith. For further aligning the billet properly against the backup plate, a separate pusher mechanism (not shown) may be disposed opposite thereto and provided with an angled pusher member similar in construction to the backup plate. With this arrangement, the billet would be cast to a predetermined length and the pusher mechanism would be actuated to move this length of billet into engage* ment with the backup plate.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the grapple is specifically constructed for accommodating a billet having a square cross section. For this purpose, the backup plate is provided with two leg portions 14, 15 disposed at right angles with respect to each other and facing outwardly of lthe space 7 provided between the legs of the casing. The leg portions ofthe backup plate are, in turn, providedwith gripping members 16, 17 having gripping surfaces 16', 17', respectively, facing at right angles to each other and alsofacing outwardly of the space 7. Insulation material 18 is positioned between the backup plate and the gripping members; and the gripping members, insulation .material and backup plate are secured together by a plurality of screws such as shown at 19.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the gripping arms 3, 4 are mounted for rotation on the legs of the grapple casing. More specifically, the gripping arm 3 is xed to a` shaft'20 rotatably disposed within the leg 5 of the casing 1 while the arm 4 is fixed to a shaft 21 rotatably disposed within the casing leg 6. The arms 3, 4 are secured to their associated shafts by the spline connections shown at 22 and 23, respectively. The shaft for the arm 3 extends inwardly of the legS of the casing and the inner end thereofl is provided with a bevel gear 24 fixed thereto by another spline connection 25 and a retaining nut 26. A spacer element 26 is provided for spacing the bevel gear 24 from the casing structure. In a like manner, the shaft 21 for the arm 4 extends inwardly of the leg 6 of the casing and the inner end of this shaft is provided with a bevel gear 27 held thereon and in meshed engagement with the bevel gear 24 by means of the spline connection 28 and the retaining nut 29. Withthis geared construction, the arms 3, 4 will move simultaneously with respect to each other about their axes of rotation. As shown in FIG. 3, the axis of rotation B-B of arm 3 is coincidentwith the longitudinal axis of the leg S while the axis of rotation C-C of the arm 4 is coincident with the `longitudinal axis of leg 6 of the casing.

For cooperating with the gripping surfaces of the backup plate, arms 3, 4 are provided with gripping members 30, 31. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, these gripping members are comprised of pins fixed to the extending portions of the arms and extend along axes parallel to the respective Yaxes of rotation of the arms. Each of these pins terminate in a rounded gripping surface 30', 31 facing, respectively, the gripping surfaces 17', 16 of the backup plate.

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the grapple is constructed and oriented with respect to the `billet in such a manner whereby it will hold the billet after it has been severed through a camming action of the gripping members 30, 31 without necessitating any separate mechanism for holding these .members in billet gripping position. For this purpose, the axis of rotation B-'B of the arm 3 extends in a downward direction away from the gripping surface 17 of the gripping member 17 whereby movement of this arm about such axis will cause the gripping member 30 to move downwardly and in: wardly of the opposed gripping member 17 and t-hus into engagement with the billet on the side thereof opposite` the location where the billet engages the member `17. In a like manner, the axis` of rotation C--C of the arm 4 extends in a downward direction away from the r4gripping surface 16' of the gripping member 16 so that movement of this arm about such axis will cause the gripping member 31to move downwardly and inwardly of the gripping member 16 and into engagement with the billet on the side thereof opposite the gripping member 16.v

With the gripping members 30, 31 in this position engaging the billet, the weight of the billet after it is severed into a free length will produce a camming effect on the armstending to move them in a further downward and inward direction and thus causing the gripping members 30, 31 to move into tighter engagement with the billet.

In the preferred construction, the axis of rotation of the arms 3, 4 is disposed on 15 with respect to the horizontal to produce a constant camming effect. If the angle of these axes wih respect to the horizontal `is too shallow, too much and unnecessary camming effect will be produced andthe billet will be gripped too much. Also, if the angle is too large, the camming effect will be lessened and tend to permit the billet to slip through the gripping members. The angle chosen for the axes of rotation of the arms may vary between about 5 and 20, -the particular angle used to produce the desired camming effect depending on such things as the material of the billet, the characteristics of the billet surface, the temperature of the billet,

and the shape of the gripping members. In any event, the angle once chosen remains constant during motion of the arms and determines the amount of pressure exerted by the members 30, 31 against the billet; and since this clamping pressure is created by the weight of the billet, the heavier the billet,.the stronger the clamping force. Also, since the weight ofthe billet itself isrelied upon to effect a clamping of the grapple thereon, no separate mechanism need be provided for holding the gripping members 30, 31 against the billet.

For initially moving the gripping members 30, 31

into their billet engaging position, a hydraulic piston and cylinder mechanismgenerally designated at 32 is provided. This mechanism is mounted by way of support members 33 on the billetcasing 1 and generally comprises a cylinder 34 and rod 35. The extending end of the rod 35 is connected to the arm 3 through the pivoted connection 36 provided on the upstanding support members 37. Actuaf tion of the hydraulic mechanism to extend` the rod causes downward rotation of the arm 3 and due to the geared connection between the shaft 20 and the shaft 21, simultaneous movement of the arm 4 is produced. Instead-of using the hydraulic fluid for actuating the mechanism 32 to cause rotation of the arm 3, such mechanism could be pneumatically actuated ifdesired; or alternatively, the arm 3 could be gear driven, chain operated, `or hand operated through appropriate gearing chains or screws.

As the arms swing in a downward direction, the gripping members 30, 31 are moved in an arc across the opposed gripping members 17, 16 respectively; and since during this movement of the arms 3, 4, the gripping memd bers 30, 31 are also moving inwardly toward the opposed gripping members 17, 16, the grapple can accommodate billets of varying cross-sectional sizes.

In operation, the grapple, disposed at a position laterally offset from the path of movement of the billet, will have its arms in the position shown in FIG. 1, movement into this position being effected by actuation of the mechanism 32. After the billet has been moved a predetermined length and ready for severing into the desired length, the hydraulic mechanism is actuated to bring the gripping members 30, 31 into initial engagement with the billet. The billet is then severed at a point above the grapple and due to the orientation of the arms 3, 4 and their mounting for rotation about axes extending downwardly from the horizontal, the camming effect described above will be produced and the billet tightly clamped. The billet may then be removed from the area of the casting machine While in the vertical position by rotating the grapple about a vertical axis; or if desired, this removal may be effected by simply pivoting the grapple about a horizontal axis. In either case, no bending of the billet is required.

For releasing the billet after it has been moved away from the area of the casting machine, the grapple and grasped billet, if still in a vertical position, are rotated,

about a horizontal axis until the force of the billet produced by its weight in a direction tending to move the arms 3, 4 in a clamping direction is released. If removal of the billet from the casting machine is effected by pivoting the grapple about a horizontal axis, this release position will automatically be assumed. At this point, the billet will then be released out of the grapple by reverse actuation of the hydraulic mechanism 32. Alternatively, the billet may simply be allowed to drop from the grapple, assuming the grapple has been rotated to a horizontal position with the backup plate overlying the billet.

Although the description given above is of the presently preferred construction of the invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A billet grapple for holding a free elongated billet disposed in a generally vertical plane for movement in a vertical direction comprising:

(a) a support member;

(b) a billet backup member having first and second gripping surfaces facing in generally horizontal directions at an angle with respect to each other for respectively engaging a billet -at first and second locations spaced laterally of each other;

(c) a first arm pivotally connected to said support for movement about a first axis extending in a downward direction away from said rst gripping surface whereby movement of said first arm about said first axis moves an extending portion thereof downwardly and inwardly of said first gripping surface, said extending portion having a third gripping surface opposing said first gripping surface for engaging said billet on the side thereof opposite said first location when said first arm is moved in said downward and inward direction; and

(d) a second arm pivotally connected to said support member for movement about a second axis extending in a downward direction away from said second gripping surface whereby movement of said second arm 4about said second axis moves an extending portion thereof downwardly and inwardly of said second gripping surface, said extending portion having a fourth gripping surface opposing said second gripping surface for engaging said billet on the side thereof opposite said second location when said second arm is moved in said downward and inward direction.

2. A billet grapple for holding a free elongated billet disposed in a generally vertical plane for movement in a downward direction comprising:

(a) a support casing laterally offset from the path of movement of said billet and having legs extending generally at right angles to each other along axes inclined downwardly relative to the horizontal:

(b) an elongated billet backup plate fixed to said casing in the space between said legs and having gripping surfaces facing in a generally horizontal direction outwardly of said space and at right angles to each other for engaging said billet at rst and second locations spaced laterally of each other;

(c) an arm pivotally connected to the extending portion of each of said legs for rotation about the respective axes thereof, each of said arms extending across the space between the legs of said casing into opposed relationship respectively with one of the gripping surfaces of said backup plate; and

(d) a gripping member fixed adjacent to the free end of each of said arms, each of said gripping members terminating in a gripping surface opposing respectively one of the gripping surfaces of said backup plate for engaging said billet at third and fourth locations disposed respectively on the sides of said billet opposite said first and second locations when said arms are rotated about their `axes in a downward direction.

3. A billet grapple according to claim 2 wherein:

(a) each of said gripping members comprises a pin extending along an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the arm to which it is fixed and terminating in a rounded gripping surface.

4. A billet grapple according to claim 3 wherein:

(a) said support casing is hollow; and

(b) said arms are non-rotatably mounted on shafts disposed within the legs of said casing, said shafts being geared together four simultaneous rotation about the axes of said legs.

5. A billet grapple according to claim 4 further comprisng:

(a) hydraulically actuated mechanism connected to one of said arms for effecting movement thereof about its axis of rotation.

6. A billet grapple according to claim 5 wherein:

(a) said legs of said casing extend downwardly at an angle between about 5 and 20 from the horizontal.

7. A billet grapple according to claim 6 wherein:

(a) said angle is about 15.

8. A billet grapple according to claim 7 wherein:

(a) each of said pins is oriented with respect to the axis of rotation of the arm to which it is fixed whereby movement of said arms in a downward and inward direction moves each of said pins in an are across the opposed gripping surface of said elongated plate for gripping billets of varying cross-sectional dimensions.

9. A billet grapple according to claim 8 further comprising:

(a) means for mounting said casing for movement about a horizontal axis intersecting the plane of each of the gripping surfaces of said backup plate at an angle of 45, said casing having its center of gravity disposed relative to said horizontal axis whereby said plate when not engaged by said billet extends at an angle with respect to the vertical with the lower end thereof closer to the path of movement of said billet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,347,588 October 17, 1967 Dominik J. Moro It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Iolumn 1, line 14, for "exists" read exits Column 4, line Z6, for "wih" read with column 6, line 3l, for "four" read for Signed and sealed this 19th day of November 1968.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer 

1. A BILLET GRAPPLE FOR HOLDING A FREE ELONGATED BILLET DISPOSED IN A GENERALLY VERTICAL PLANE FOR MOVEMENT IN A VERTICAL DIRECTION COMPRISING: (A) A SUPPORT MEMBER; (B) A BILLET BACKUP MEMBER HAVING FIRST AND SECOND GRIPPING SURFACES FACING IN GENERALLY HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONS AT AN ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER FOR RESPECTIVELY ENGAGING A BILLET AT FIRST AND SECOND LOCATIONS SPACED LATERALLY OF EACH OTHER; (C) A FIRST ARM PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID SUPPORT FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT A FIRST AXIS EXTENDING IN A DOWNWARD DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID FIRST GRIPPING SURFACE WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID FIRST ARM ABOUT SAID FIRST AXIS MOVES AN EXTENDING PORTION THEREOF DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY OF SAID FIRST GRIPPING SURFACE, SAID EXTENDING PORTION HAVING A THIRD GRIPPING SURFACE OPPOSING SAID FIRST GRIPPING SURFACE FOR ENGAGING SAID BILLET ON THE SIDE THEREOF OPPOSITE SAID FIRST LOCATION WHEN SAID FIRST ARM IS MOVED IN SAID DOWNWARD AND INWARD DIRECTION; AND (D) A SECOND ARM PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID SUPPORT MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT A SECOND AXIS EXTENDING A DOWNWARD DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID SECOND GRIPPING SURFACE WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND ARM ABOUT SAID SECOND AXIS MOVES AN EXTENDING PORTION THEREOF DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY OF SAID SECOND GRIPPING SURFACE, SAID EXTENDING PORTION HAVING A FOURTH GRIPPING SURFACE OPPOSING SAID SECOND GRIPPING SURFACE FOR ENGAGING SAID BILLET ON THE SIDE THEREOF OPPOSITE SAID SECOND LOCATION WHEN SAID SECOND ARM IS MOVED IN SAID DOWNWARD AND INWARD DIRECTION. 